This invention relates to compositions of the high intensity sweetener sucralose with sweet saccharides, the compositions exhibiting synergy.
In this specification and in the claims, the term "ingestible composition" is used to mean a composition which is intended to be taken into the mouth and swallowed, substantially in its entirety. Examples include foodstuffs, beverages, medicaments and confectionery as well as dry mixes and concentrates for use in the preparation of such compositions. The term hence specifically excludes chewing gum, which is partially ingested and partially ejected. The term "oral product" is used to mean a substance which is intended to be taken into the mouth but not swallowed. Examples include toothpastes, mouthwashes and other buccal and dental preparations. Again, the term specifically excludes chewing gum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,991, assigned to Wm. Wrigley Jr. & Company, discloses and claims chewing gum formulations containing sucralose and other sweeteners, in particular sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol, which have a particular extended sweetness and flavour release profile. The requirement for such a profile is important in chewing gum formulation, where flavourings and sweetness must be distributed such that prolonged chewing gradually releases them. However a release profile of this type is of no interest in any other products which are orally consumed and would have no relevance to the formulation of such other products. A chewing gum formulation containing sucralose and glucose syrup is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,394, but no synergy has been reported, the glucose syrup being present solely as a bulking sweetener.
Sucralose, 4,1',6'-trichloro-4,1',6'-trideoxygalactosucrose, is a high intensity sweetener disclosed in British Patent No. 1543167. Sucralose is known to provide marked synergy to compositions also containing certain other high intensity sweeteners having an accompanying bitter taste, in particular saccharin, acesulfame-K and stevioside (GB 2 098 848 B; U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,170) and to compositions containing cyclamate (GB 2 154 850 B). No significant synergy is found in compositions containing sucralose and aspartame, although the quality of sweetness is improved (GB 2 153 combinations of sucralose and sucrose.